Uncover [P]rinciples you live by in real life

The first part of the PIERS framework is Principles. The goal is to uncover the things you care about that make you stand out in a crowd. Things that get you out of bed in the morning; that you think about as you go about your day; and that you’re still thinking about when you fall asleep. 

Here are some questions to help you get started: 

• What’s the thing I spend the most time thinking about? 

• What do I spend a lot of time doing, both professionally and otherwise?

• Is there something that most people agree with, but I disagree on?

• What’s something that I do that gives me a sense of purpose? 

As an example of what I’m talking about, here are the Principles I uncovered using this process:

• Integrity and honesty. I learned early that lying to my friends wasn’t the way to go—memories of doing so have haunted me for years. As a result, it’s extremely important to be honest and act with integrity, even if it puts me in a disadvantageous position. 

• Sharing and helping. Sharing and helping others always brings me joy. I want to give back to a world that has given me so much already.

• Slow and steady. I’m a serial startup founder, but I’m not interested in growth for growth’s sake—and I don’t care about virality or hacks. 

Exercise: Identify your Principles

Now it’s your turn to identify the Principles you’ll want your Twitter profile to reflect. Write down responses to the questions below. Once you have your responses, distill each into a single Principle. Identifying the Principles important to you will help you to figure out how you want to be seen by the world. 

• What’s the thing I spend the most time thinking about? 

• What do I spend a lot of time doing? Think of both work and non-work answers.

• Is there something that most people agree with, but I disagree about? Think of big and small answers.

• What’s something you do that gives you a sense of purpose? 

What did we learn?

What is a Principle?

What are two of your Principles?